


unspoken stories; spoken feelings

by haos-parasol (LoveUntilWeBleed)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Blood (very slight but still present), Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, drarry if you squint, the only real triggers are the blood and self-harm though i tried to make it gentle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-31
Updated: 2019-03-31
Packaged: 2019-12-29 19:10:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18300254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoveUntilWeBleed/pseuds/haos-parasol
Summary: On his way back from detention with Professor Umbridge one night, Harry finds out he has a bit more in common with Draco than he ever would have thought.





	unspoken stories; spoken feelings

**Author's Note:**

> this was supposed to be short. i said a few hundred words, max. now here i am, its 4am, and im so damn tired.
> 
> (ive never written a fanfic for Harry Potter before so i hope this turns out okay)

“Stodgy old bat...” Harry muttered to himself on the third night back to the dormitory during his second round of detention with Professor Umbridge. “Wish I had one of those pens to use with her. Make her write, “I’m a proper git, I am,” right across her forehead...” He smirked to himself in satisfaction as he rounded a corner.

Once Harry got out of the hallway the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom was in he felt himself relax quite a bit; he had been so tense he had hardly realized it until the tension had left his body. But with the loss of tension, the throbbing pain in his hand came to the forefront of his mind and he lifted his hand up to inspect it. Harry glared at his hand as if that would make anything better.

“I must not tell lies,” Harry snorted and shook his head, letting his hand fall against his side. “As if I’d lie about all of this; that woman doesn’t know a bloody th-“ He was cut off when he bumped into something solid. “What the-Malfoy?” Harry sneered when he noticed what he bumped into was nothing less than the only age-appropriate rival he had at Hogwarts: Draco Malfoy.

Draco gave an annoying smirk but it wasn’t very affective since he was rubbing his forehead where he had bumped into Harry. “Tsk, talking to yourself, Potter? You really are going nutters, aren’t you?”

What Draco said was posed as a question though Harry knew it was simply said to condescend to him. He narrowed his eyes and hissed out a low, ‘shut _up_ , Malfoy,’ as he attempted to pass him, very much not in the mood to deal with Draco at all after being with Professor Umbridge for the last couple hours. 

But Draco didn’t like that and side-stepped in front of him, blocking him from leaving. Harry let out a loud sigh and moved his hand up to rub over his forehead; for once his scar wasn’t throbbing but it was a dull conciliation now that Draco was beginning to give him a headache.

Harry noticed a second too late that he was using his left hand to rub his forehead. Normally this wouldn’t have posed a problem, but that was the hand Professor Umbridge’s horrible pen had carved into. A cruel smirk curled Draco’s lips upwards as soon as he noticed and he wasted no time in grabbing Harry’s wrist and bringing it towards his face.

“‘I must not tell lies...’” he murmured cruelly, moonlight reflecting in his eyes as he flicked his gaze from Harry’s hand to his face. “Resorted to self-mutilation, Potter? Perhaps it’s time you really _are_ sent off to St. Mungos.” He dropped Harry’s hand and made a show of wiping his own hand off on his robes as if Harry was diseased. “Whatever is wrong with you, I certainly wouldn’t want to catch it.”

Harry let out a low growl from deep in his throat and he pulled his robe sleeves down to cover his hand. “Sod off! I didn’t do this to myself Malfoy-you know what, I don’t care what you think.” He shook his head angrily and moved to push past Draco again when he noticed blood on the floor. At first he thought it was blood from his hand, but...his hand wasn’t bleeding that badly anymore and the blood was closer to Draco...

He looked up at the ceiling to see if something was dripping from above them, but he didn’t notice anything. Then...he heard a drip and something caught his eyes. The blood was dripping from somewhere.

It was dripping from under Draco’s robe. 

Harry frowned and, just like Draco had done to him, he grabbed the other boys wrist. He froze when Draco let out a curse and attempted to pull his hand back immediately.

“Don’t touch m-!”

Harry’s eyes widened when he felt warmth under his hand from where he was gripping Draco’s wrist. He looked up at the blond quickly and noticed he was grimacing. Harry looked back at Draco’s hand and pulled it closer, slowly moving up the others sleeve. He sucked in a breath at what he saw.

Draco’s wrist was sloppily wrapped in toilet paper and he was steadily bleeding from it; a few lines of cuts closest to his hand weren’t covered. “Malfoy!” He looked back at Draco, his eyes widened in shock. “You...” His grip on Draco’s wrist slackened slightly and the blonde took the chance to wrench his hand away and tug his sleeve back down.

“It’s nothing, Potter!” He grit out and immediately turned his gaze to look at the floor. “I...It’s just a scratch.” Draco knew it was an incredibly lame excuse that even a Dementor could see through.

“Bullshit!” Harry hissed out. He grabbed Draco’s uninjured wrist and began quickly walking down the hallway.

“Wh-let me go, Potter!” Draco stumbled after him and immediately started tugging away from Harry. Harry planted his feet firmly and glared at Draco over his shoulder.

“Unless you want someone to hear us and see what you did to yourself,” his gaze flickered to Draco’s wrist momentarily before he turned his glare back up to his face. “then you will _shut_ _up_ and come with me, got it?” Draco sneered and glared back at Harry but he didn’t resist when he was being led down the hallway again.

Harry quickly made his way with Draco from the dungeon and up to the fifth floor; the two were extremely lucky to have managed to avoid anyone who might have still been out. They had to hide behind a corner once so Mrs. Norris wouldn’t see them, but they otherwise were unseen. If Harry were alone or with someone like Ron or Hermoine he wouldn’t have been moving so quickly, but...he was with Draco. If they were caught a simple explanation wouldn’t have done any good, especially considering Draco’s injury 

The whole time they he was being led Draco glared at the back of Harry’s head, but if the other boy noticed he hid it quite well. Draco was so focussed on trying to bore holes into Harry’s head with his eyes that he narrowly avoided bumping into him when they stopped.

“Password, Malfoy.”

Draco made a sound in the back of his throat - he hated being ordered by anyone, especially _Potter_ \- but it died out as he looked at Harry in annoyance. “Password for what?”

Harry let out an exasperated sigh and looked at Draco over his shoulder. “The Prefect bathroom, obviously. I don’t know it.” He turned back around and stared at the picture of Boris the Bewildered - he had known the password the year prior but that wouldn’t help them out now.

Behind him Draco blinked and looked up at the painting in front of them, when he suddenly smirked. “Neither of your Prefect friends told you the password yet, eh Potter? They must think you’ve gone off the deep end too, then.” His smirk grew when Harry whipped his head around to glare at him furiously.

“Can it, Malfoy. Hermoine has refused to tell me and has sworn Ron to secrecy and...look, just open it, okay?”

Draco chuckled at him derisively before he moved forwards and leaned into the painting, whispering the password into it. He looked at Harry over his shoulder when it swung open. “You won’t be hearing it from me, either. 

Harry merely grunted and pulled Draco in after him, closing the door immediately.

“Sit.” Draco raised a brow at Harry and made a point of looking around the room exaggeratedly.

“Seeing things as well, Potter? I can only assume that since you must be seeing a chair or something that isn’t really here.” Draco smirked and looked at Harry down his nose.

A smirk grew on Harry’s face, mirroring Draco’s. “Surely not, Malfoy.” He lifted up his finger and pointed at the toilets across from the large bathtub (really, it was more like a pool) and huffed out a laugh at the look of horror that appeared on Draco’s face.

“Potter, that’s...that’s disgusting! Absolutely not!”

Harry simply shook his head and grabbed a few towels from beside the bath. “You move there yourself or I drag you. Your choice.” Draco glowered at him momentarily before ripping his wrist from his grasp and stomping to the toilets. He stared down at one in disgust before deciding it was clean - immaculately so, like the rest of the bathroom - and sitting down on it gingerly.

It was clean; didn’t mean Draco fancied sitting on a toilet with his pants _on_.

Harry followed after him with the towels. Draco looked at him, his eyebrows drawn together in confusion. “What...?” He watched as Harry kneeled in front of him, then reeled back when Harry went to reach for his wrist again. “I don’t need your help, Potter!” He snapped and drew back onto the toilet, his disgust for it forgotten as he put as much distance between him and the other boy as he could. “Leave. I can’t believe I even let you drag me here...” He muttered, glaring at his enemy.

Harry grit his teeth and shot his arm out, grabbing the sleeve of Draco’s robe and pulling it towards him quickly. “Shut up and let me help! You obviously don’t know what you’re doing.” He stared at the toilet paper wrapped haphazardly around the blondes wrists pointedly then looked up at Draco. “It might as well not even be there for how badly it’s done.”

Draco’s cheeks coloured lightly and he averted his gaze from Harry. “Sod off, I was in a hurry.”

Harry simply shook his head and began slowly taking the toilet paper off, glancing at Draco with mild concern when he heard him suck in a breath. “Sorry...” He murmured softly and went to pick up a towel.

Draco bit down on his lip and worried it between his teeth as Harry brought one of the towels up to wrap around the cuts. He opened his mouth to say something when Harry stood suddenly and walked towards to bath. Draco held the towel against his wrist, pressing down slightly as he watched Harry curiously.

Harry’s brows were furrowed as he looked at the bath. “What kind of a bathroom is this? A hundred taps but no bandages in sight. Bollocks...” He shook his head and bent down to try some of the taps in hopes one of them would give something of use but he turned when he heard Draco clear his throat. 

“I don’t need bandages or anything. Just...” He sighed and reached down to grab his cloak. He put his hand carefully into a pocket and pulled it out a second later, gently holding a razor blade between his fingers. Harry frowned and stood up, briskly walking back to Draco. “Use this to cut up one of the towels and I’ll wrap it around my wrist. I’ll find something back at my dorm to use as a bandage.” He murmured, looking at Harry carefully, unsure what else to say.

Harry stared at him for a moment, pensively. He knelt back down in front of Draco and took the razor from him carefully. He turned it over in his fingers a few times, analyzing it. He let out a sigh and looked at Draco through his fringe. “I know this isn’t the only one you have. Get me the rest.” Draco opened his mouth to protest but at the look Harry gave him he quickly picked up his cloak and reached into a few of the pockets, pulling out a different razor blade each time.

He dropped them all into his palm and glanced at Harry before quickly averting his gaze. “This...here. I threw away the one that I used.” Draco dropped the blades into Harry’s hand gently and stared at a spot on the wall, the floor, the ceiling...anywhere other than at the other boy. He heard Harry sigh and he stole a quick glance at him before looking away again.

Harry took one of the towels and cut a strip from it quickly, muttering something about hoping the towels weren’t magic that could get them in trouble, or something along those lines. Draco noticed him purse his lips when he removed the bloody towel he had used to apply pressure to the cuts.

“Potter, I really can do it myself, I-“ But Draco was cut off by a harsh look by Harry. 

“Would you just shut it and let me help you, Malfoy?”

Draco bristled and straightened up on the toilet, narrowing his eyes. “It’s just a few small cuts, I can handle it.”

Harry stared at him in a bit of disbelief for a moment before chucking dryly. “‘A few small cuts?’ Really? And _I’m_ the one who needs to go to St. Mungos for self mutilation...” Harry muttered the last part, but Draco heard him nonetheless.

The blonde scowled at Harry and tried to pull his wrist away from him. “Screw you, Potter!”

Harry sneered at him. “What, Malfoy? Can dish it out but you can’t take it?”

Both of their tempers were starting to rise; the air between them was feeling electric. Whether due to magic or emotions neither of them knew, but it was palpable.

“Fuck _off_ , Potter! Why are you even trying to help me, anyways?!” 

“Because I know how this feels and being alone only makes it all worse!”

Draco froze at Harry’s words and he felt his anger slip away, quickly being replaced by confusion. 

Harry _knew_? The chosen one, the hero of the wizarding world, the Golden Boy...he knew how Draco felt?

Harry could tell that Draco was staring at him, but now he was the one making it a point to not look at the other. Mentally he was chastising himself. He hadn’t _meant_ to say that.

Or maybe, subconsciously, he did.

Harry had felt, for quite some time now, the gnawing feelings of loneliness creeping back into his heart. Whether it was depression, stress, or You-Know-Who controlling his emotions from afar he wasn’t sure, but he was feeling it again nonetheless. So maybe...maybe he _had_ meant to say it, just to get his feelings out.

But not like this, and certainly not to Draco. That was certainly not meant to happen. He looked up when he heard Draco start to speak.

“You...that...there’s no way you could know.” Draco grit his teeth and stared determinately at Harry. 

Harry merely stared back at him, just as determined. “Don’t be so _fucking_ self centred, Malfoy. You have no idea about my life, so don’t you _dare_ try to tell me what I’ve felt.” Harry got up stiffly and grabbed a towel. Leaving behind a very annoyed Draco, he walked to the bath and dipped the towel into it. He came back shortly and pulled Draco’s wrist back towards him.

He gently dabbed the towel over his wrist, making sure to be careful as the cuts were so fresh. As Harry was tending to Draco he felt his anger start to melt away. For the moment Draco wasn’t his enemy; he was a soul Harry understood and knew, despite his protests, needed help. He grabbed a dry towel and gently pat Draco’s wrist with it.

“You didn’t cut too deep,” he murmured softly, not looking up. “It’s almost finished bleeding. Might not even scar.” He looked up then, slowly, feeling a sort of...understanding between the two of them.

Draco looked at his wrist before turning his gaze to Harry. “I know, I...” He looked away again, chewing nervously at his bottom lip. “It’s not my first time. I’ve learned over the years how to hide it. You...you’re the only person who knows.” Draco could feel the other boy staring at him; knew if he looked up that those green eyes would see directly into his.

He didn’t want that. This was already too much for him. This vulnerability...it was tearing him up inside. He hated feeling so weak and yet here he was; in the Prefects bathroom with his enemy kneeling before him and tending to his self-harm injuries.

If he could have, he would have laughed at the absurdity of it all.

Harry’s voice broke him out of his thoughts and he glanced at him carefully.

“Malfoy, I...I’m not going to ask you why you’re doing this because it’s none of my business but what I am going to ask is that you stop.” Draco turned to look at him fully now. He could feel something building up him inside him and bubbling to the surface. It was a feeling not all too unfamiliar to him, but it this situation he couldn’t stand it.

Fear.

He knew it was ridiculous. Why would he be afraid, now? After all that had happened in the last hour, why was _now_ when the fear was starting to bubble up, threatening to spill over? Deep down he knew why. Deep down he knew it’s because he could sense that, however small, Harry was _concerned_ for him. He was caring about his well being, and it was terrifying.

Draco had to stop it immediately.

“Why should I do anything that you say? We hate each other, Potter! What’s happened hasn’t changed a thing!”

“Us hating each other doesn’t mean I’m okay with you hurting yourself, you git! I’m allowed to care!” ‘ _About_ _you_ ’ was left unsaid, yet they both knew that’s what Harry meant.

They both sat in silence for a minute before Draco moved to stand, letting out a groan when Harry pushed him down again. “Fuck off, Potter...” he said it a low voice, feeling too drained to put any anger in it.

Harry stayed silent and began to gently wrap the strip of towel he had cut around Draco’s wrist. Once done, he kept gently holding Draco’s wrist, staring at it. Draco turned to look at him and their eyes locked; steel grey with jade green.

It was too much and Draco quickly looked away again. “Don’t feel concern for me, Potter. I’m not going to off myself or anything so just...just forget this ever happened, alright? I’d rather not-“

“Draco.” 

The blond froze and his eyes widened. Surely he had heard wrong. It wasn’t possible that he had just been called his first name. Surely not.

Harry sighed and stood up slightly on his knees, coming closer to Draco. “Stop being so stubborn. I know what you’re doing; trying to convince _me_ to drop this and forget it ever happened, when you’re really trying to convince _yourself_ that it’s okay. Look, I...” Harry sighed and dropped back, leaning against the wall and running a hand through his hair. “I’m not going to pretend I know anything about you because I don’t, and I’m not going to try to pretend I know all the answers either, because I don’t. But what I do know is this,” he gestured vaguely towards Draco’s wrists. “doesn’t help at all.” He tilted his head back, leaning it against the wall and turning to look up at Draco. “Believe me.”

The blond stared at him silently, trying to find any trace of some form of insincerity on Harry’s face; a slight twitch of his lips, a crease near his eyes, just... _anything_ to show he didn’t truly care. But he found nothing.

“I...I’ve tried to stop, but it doesn’t matter. I always get dragged back into it. It’s hard...” his voice was barely a whisper, but to Harry he was crystal clear. Without a second thought - without even a first thought, really - Harry sat up and grabbed both of Draco’s hands. The blond looked at his hands then up to Harry, then back at his hands again, not entirely sure what was happening anymore.

”Malfoy, I know how hard it is, and...I know that you’re strong enough to beat it.”

Draco’s hands clenched in Harry’s grasp and he could feel a rush of emotions coming over him, threatening to take him over in a tidal wave. He clenched his eyes shut and he dropped his head down. “Don’t...” He grit out. “Don’t tell me lies like that, Potter.” Harry was slightly taken aback by the bitterness in Draco’s voice, but his eyes narrowed and he pulled himself up, sitting face to face with Draco.

“Malfoy. Look at me.”

The blonde shook his head and Harry growled.

“Look at me, dammit!”

Harry’s voice echoed through the bathroom so loudly Draco felt all of Hogwarts must have heard him. 

Draco opened his eyes and lifted his head up slowly, shocked at the fire burning in Harry’s eyes.

“I would never lie about something like this Malfoy. Never.” Harry stared at him deeply and Draco fought the urge to look away, though not entirely sure why. “You know _damn_ well that I’m telling you the truth.” Harry puffed out a deep sigh and bit at his lip. “I know I shouldn’t be getting so frustrated I just...I’ve been through this all before with myself and I know much you regret it all once you recover and I don’t want you to feel the same regret.” Harry finished and looked resolutely at Draco, the same fire still burning in his eyes.

Draco stared back at him, then took a glance at the sleeve of Harry’s robes. “I’ve never...I’ve never seen...” Draco couldn’t finish the words but they both knew what he meant. Harry gave a wry smile.

“I don’t have any. Not there, at least.” At Draco’s questioning look, he pursed his lips and shook his head. “I...I got caught the first time I did it, so I started doing it where it wouldn’t be seen as easily.” His tone was final and Draco knew Harry wouldn’t elaborate anymore, and the blond couldn’t really blame him. Draco didn’t have the right to know; it was private. Draco decided to respect it and not push.

Harry moved his hands and, shocking Draco, laced their fingers together and gently squeezed his hands. “You can get through it.” The two boys stared at one another, and Harry chanced a slight, genuine smile. “We...are more alike than I think either of us really know and I know that if I can do it, then you can too.” Draco stared at him for a moment longer before giving a quiet snort and looking away.

“Nice pep talk, Potter...”

Harry squeezed his hands a bit tighter at that, but they both knew what it meant. Harry understood the snark was Draco’s own way of accepting Harry’s words, and Draco knew that Harry heard him loud and clear.

They stayed like that for a moment before Harry, with a last nearly imperceptible squeeze, pulled his hands from Draco’s and stood up. “It’s...probably really late. We’re only allowed out now until nine so we should get back soon.” Draco gave a soft nod and stood up as well, glancing at all the towels around him.

“What should we do with all these, they’re...” Draco gestured at them and prodded one with his toe. Harry grimaced and moved to pick them up.

“The house-elves will clean them, but...” he stared at the bloody mass of towels in his arms and looked at Draco shortly before turning around and walking to the bath. “I’ll rinse them off then leave them, I guess...” he finished quietly and for a minute Draco stood there watching him, a slight awkward silence stretching between them, making him fidget unconsciously.

Harry wrung the towels out and set them down beside the bath, hoping no one else would use the bathroom that night and notice them. He turned back to Draco. “Your robes are also, uh...quite bloody...” he said, not making eye contact with Draco. Clearly Harry could feel the awkwardness as well. “I could clean them if...” Harry stopped when Draco shook his head.

“They’re black so it doesn’t really matter. I’ll change them tomorrow and they’ll get washed, so...” He shrugged and glanced at Harry before looking away quickly. 

Harry nodded shortly. “Right...” he said awkwardly then moved back to the toilets and flushed the bloodied toilet paper down the one Draco had been sitting on. He let out a sigh and bent down to pick up the razor blades. “Malfoy...” He said as he stood up, dropping the blades into his cloak. He felt disgust ripple through his body as he did so; he hadn’t touched one in years. Harry shook his head to clear it and he turned to look at Draco. “I just...I need to ask...” he ran a hand through his hair nervously. “Are you doing this to kill yourself or just...just a really bad way of coping with something?”

Draco was slightly taken aback by how bluntly the question had been asked, but he knew it had to be asked bluntly. Draco looked down at his wrist. “If I was doing it to kill myself, I wouldn’t be standing here right now.” Harry stared at him for a moment, trying to detect any deception. He smiled slightly when he knew Draco was telling the truth.

Draco looked up and quickly glanced away when he saw Harry smiling; it was making him want to smile too.

Harry shuffled awkwardly for a moment before he started to move towards to the door.

“Potter.” He stopped and looked at Draco over his shoulder. He could tell the blond was nervous. He was oddly tense; different from nervousness he had shown tonight. Harry frowned and moved towards him a few steps when Draco spoke suddenly, causing him to pause. “Thank you...” It was whispered so quietly, and held so much sadness Harry could hardly believe it was Draco who had said it. In a flash Harry had moved forwards and grabbed Draco tightly. He wrapped his arms around his shoulders and pulled him close against himself.

Draco stilled, frozen in place. He didn’t know whether to grab onto Harry and never let go, or shove him away and run out of the bathroom, never looking back.

Draco chose the former...partially. He knew he would have to let go eventually. But for now he clung onto Harry as tightly as he was being held onto. His hands gripped tightly into the back of Harry’s robes and, startling himself, he buried his face into the other boys shoulder.

In hindsight, Draco was more shocked at that than he was when he started crying. He wasn’t sure when he had started, really. Was it when he thanked Harry? When Harry hugged him? Or had he been crying inside the whole time, just now having the outlet for the tears to come out? Whatever the reason, he was grateful it had happened.

Harry, on the other hand, couldn’t have been more shocked if Voldemort himself traipsed into the bathroom that very moment wearing Professor Umbridges outfit. Draco Malfoy, his sworn enemy, was in his arms, crying on his shoulder.

And even though it made no sense at all, it made perfect sense at the same time.

Harry held Draco as he cried. He rubbed over his back carefully and held him up when he felt Draco was beginning to fall.

It was quite metaphorical, really.

Draco pulled back a minute later and went to wipe at his face, but Harry beat him to it. Harry brought up his arms and used the sleeve of his robe to gently dry Draco’s face. Draco closed his eyes and, whether he meant to or not, leant into Harry’s hand. Harry stared at him, a bit in awe of how...how perfectly content Draco looked in that moment.

It struck Harry how human he was. Without all the snark and sass and pomp and circumstance of Slytherin, its like Harry was seeing Draco for the first time.

He wasn’t too sure how it made him feel, but he knew it was a pleasant feeling all the same.

“Draco...” Harry had said it so quietly he wondered if he had even said it all. But he had, and it was the second time in one night he had called Draco by his first name. And if he were being honest...he preferred it, really.

Draco opened his eyes slowly and looked at the other, the same soft, content look on his face. 

Then Draco smiled and Harry thinks his heart stopped for a moment. But just for a moment, because then Draco said his name; a soft, beautifully whispered, ‘ _Harry_ ,’ and his heart went into overdrive.

He would have collapsed on the spot had he not still been holding Draco with one hand. He licked his suddenly dry lips and rubbed his thumb under Draco’s eye gently before slowly pulling back, wishing the feeling could stay but knowing it couldn’t.

Draco looked as if he was pulled out of a trance and his cheeks tinged a light pink. Harry’s did the same but he turned around before the other boy noticed.

“So, uh...well...goodnight...?” It was an awkward question because...well, what else were they supposed to say? Harry would give anyone a thousand Galleons if they could tell him that.

Draco nodded shortly and walked ahead of Harry, moving towards the door. “I’ll make sure it’s all clear...” He muttered before quietly opening the door. Harry followed and stood a few steps behind him. Draco turned to him and nodded before opening the door and stepping out.

Harry hesitated for a moment. He knew the second he stepped out of the Prefect bathroom, that whatever happened there that night would be broken. He knew this couldn’t have changed much; him and Draco had hated each other since they saw each other five years ago. Yet at the same time, Harry knew it had changed a lot. He knew they would never have the same all-hate attitude towards each other after this. How could they? 

So, taking one last look into the bathroom, Harry stepped out into the hall and looked at Draco. He watched as he closed the door and then turned to look at him. They both stood there awkwardly for a few seconds before Harry gave a small smile. “Goodnight, Draco.”

Draco still looked a bit shocked at hearing his name from Harry’s lips, but he gave a soft nod and, albeit very slight, he smiled back. “Likewise...Harry.” Draco looked around the hallways quickly then back up at Harry. “It’s probably past curfew, so...” Harry gave a short nod and started to move away. He heard Draco murmur another ‘ _thank_ _you_ ’, and really, nothing could have wiped the smile off of his face.

*****

The next few weeks passed in a kind of blur for Harry. He had finished all his detentions - and had been forced by Angelina to promise he would never have another one _ever_ \- and the rest of the days just...dissolved away, really. He remembered them mostly in essays, practised spells, and Quidditch lessons.

Oh, and Ron’s persistent questions about why Malfoy wasn’t being as insufferable lately. Those were getting quite annoying, really.

“You guys,” Ron groaned as he slumped down in a chair in their common room once they came back from their first Hogsmeade visit of the year. “It’s just... _why_ isn’t he being such a prat lately?” Harry and Hermoine shared semi-amused looks. It had been about the twelfth time Ron had made a comment about Draco _that_ _day_ , and they were quite over it.  

Hermoine sat down on a couch nearby and shrugged. “Maybe being a Prefect changed him, Ron.” A teasing glint entered her eyes and she glanced at Harry before looking back at Ron. “Why don’t you just ask him? You seem obsessed with him lately. Something you want to tell us...?” Hermoine let out a laugh as Ron shot up in his chair, his ears turning red and a horrified look on his face.

“Hermoi-you! Wha-! Uhh!” Harry gripped the back of Ron’s chair, him and Hermoine falling into loud laughs as Ron continued to splutter, turning more red each second. Ron grabbed two pillows, throwing one at Hermoine and hitting Harry with the other one. “Shut up, the both of you! Bloody-ahh!” He threw the pillow he was using to hit Harry with at Hermoine and he slumped back in his chair with a huff, trying, it seemed, to become absorbed into it. 

Harry and Hermoine shared another look as their laughter died down and Harry took a seat beside Hermoine, both still laughing slightly. Ron glanced at them carefully. “...done?” Harry held up his arms in surrender and Hermoine nodded, grinning widely at Ron. “It’s just weird - here me out! -“ Harry and Hermoine both rolled their eyes, “Isn’t it? He hasn’t even been saying anything during Care of Magical Creatures.” Ron’s eyebrows furrowed and he stared into the fireplace, deep in thought.

Ron was right, Harry thought to himself. Ever since that night Draco had been...tolerable. He certainly wasn’t a perfectly wonderful person, but he was definitely different. He didn’t dole out as many unnecessary and undeserving jibes as usual. He still did, often, but they were usually aimed at Harry.

He didn’t mind much, though. He knew why it was being done. Even though Harry and Draco knew an intimate secret about each other, nobody else did and they had to keep up appearances. It would have been weirder if Draco suddenly started treating Harry like a friend out of the blue, than if he started acting more tolerably to everyone as a whole.

Plus, it was funny to watch Ron fret over it. Suddenly Ron snapped his fingers, looking as though he had struck an epiphany, when Neville burst into the room, panting.

The trio looked up at him in shock, all immediately standing up and looking around.

“Neville, what’s the matter?” Hermoine moved to him, suddenly acting much more like a Prefect than a few moments ago. “Is everything alright?”

Neville gave a quick nod and looked between the three of them. “Everything is fine! But you guys!” He said it so quickly he was nearly squeaking. “You’ll never guess what happened! So Trevor got out-“ ‘Like always’, the three of them thought in unison. “And I was trying to catch him but he was hopping away so fast I thought I’d never catch him but then!” He pulled Trevor out of his pocket proudly. “Draco picked him up for me! Draco!” He looked between the trio again, his eyes shining. Before anyone could say anything, Neville gasped suddenly and, putting Trevor back in his pocket, he pulled something out of another pocket. “Harry, for you!”

Neville shoved a bag of chocolate frogs into Harry’s face, nearly punching him in the process.

Harry looked between Ron and Hermoine wearily as he grabbed the bag from Neville and gave a nervous laugh. “Er...thanks Neville but you didn’t go to Hogsmeade today so where...?” Harry cut himself off when Neville shook his head, and he looked at him curiously.

“It’s not from me, Harry.” Neville leaned in closer to Harry, as if what he was saying was a secret. “It’s from Draco!” Harry reeled back from Neville again when the other boy brought something else up to him, this time nearly giving him a black eye.

It was a note. Harry took it quickly and read it, a slight smile on his face as he did so.

_I_ _know_ _you_ _and_ _your_ _friends_ _quite_ _enjoy_ _these_ , _so_ _I_ _thought_ _I’d_ _buy_ _you_ _some_.

_Don’t_ _read_ _too_ _much_ _into_ _this_ , _please_.

- _Draco_.

It was signed elegantly, and Harry read it over several times before looking up into the questioning faces of his friends. He gave a soft thanks to Neville who quickly went off, eager to tell anyone his story, and Harry whistled inconspicuously, looking away from Hermoine and Ron who were staring at him quite intently now.

He read the note over one last time before he put it safely in his cloak. “Er...either of you want a chocolate frog?” 

Hermoine and Ron immediately started asking him questions, but unlike Neville he wouldn’t be so quick to tell his story.

**Author's Note:**

> anyways. i hope that was alright?? i hope it wasnt too ooc but...Harry and Draco are just two sad, stressed out kids. i wanted it to feel real. sometimes even we act out of character from ourselves so...i just...i tried?? idk i talk too much. i hope this was enjoyable. reviews would be so wonderful!!! id love to know if this came off how i wanted it to.
> 
> thank you for getting this far ♥︎


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